THE FULL STORY
How it started
Ajay loves cooking. At a Christmas party in 2021, he learned about a Facebook group in Portland that delivers authentic, home-cooked meals to people craving a taste of home. When he discussed it with Gautami, his wife, she encouraged him to try it out.
Ajay initially started selling snacks, but quickly realized it lacked the warmth of cooking for those he loved. For Ajay, spending time in the kitchen after work was always his way to unwind. Perhaps turning his side hustle into a charitable mission would feel more rewarding than running it as a business.
Ajay then sold misal and shrikhand to fundraise for different charities. After some great initial feedback from the community, Ajay landed a last-minute catering order for 80 guests at a Maharashtrian wedding in Portland. While preparing this order was pretty daunting, it eventually led to Ajay and Gautami setting up an LLC in a week’s time. New experiences such as registering their business, purchasing licenses and insurance, as well as cooking in a commercial kitchen, had to be learned in this short span!
And this is how Food for Thought LLC was born.
With the success of the wedding order behind them, Ajay applied to the Beaverton Farmers Market as a weekly vendor. With Gautami's support, Ajay sold out his entire inventory of shrikhand each time and all raised funds were donated to various charities. Introducing a beloved childhood favorite from India to so many families across Portland brings immense pride to Ajay and Gautami. Their other notable contributions include selling 150 Diwali snack boxes with volunteers from Real: Youth to Youth (a local charity in Portland).
While 2022 was a year of learning how to run a business, in 2023 and beyond, Ajay and Gautami want to scale up their operations and bring their signature shrikhand and chivda products to local grocery stores and farmers markets. With these delicious treats from their home country, they want to continue bringing focus to social causes that are close to their hearts.
And this is just the first chapter of their story…
Join Ajay and Gautami in making a difference. Visit our volunteer page to learn more.
